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Synopsis

The unit involves a study of common communicable diseases with a focus on the prevention and management of infections encountered in a diversity of health care settings. Laboratory-based case studies are used to study hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections including wound infections, common infections in the oncology, transplant and maternity wards, vaccine-preventable infections in children, outbreaks of community-acquired infections, communicable infections in indigenous populations and in developing countries. Various public health control measures including disease surveillance, immunisation, antimicrobial therapies, and infection control practices are discussed.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

Describe the distinguishing features of the major groups of pathogenic microorganisms;

Recognize that the occurrence of infectious disease is the outcome of interactions between microbial factors, host factors, physical environmental factors and social influences;

Explain how communicable infections are spread in health care settings and in community settings;

Use a basic knowledge of epidemiological methods to understand the investigation of outbreaks of communicable disease in populations;

Recognize the particular challenges in controlling communicable disease in remote areas of Australia and in developing countries;

Assess the efficacy of infection control strategies, antimicrobial therapies, and immunization in the control and management of major communicable diseases; and

Elaborate on the principles of infection control by using appropriate examples in acute care settings and community-based care settings.